Puglia is also known for its artistic pottery, which reminds the typical Apulian atmosphere with the warm colours and the natural tones, such as the the colour of the sand, the shades of the wheat fields, the white of the clouds, the brown of the land, the green of the olive trees…
It’s a tradition with a long history, dating back to the 8th – 7th century B.C .when the production consisted essentially of vases, bowls and pots in different colours and figures, and they were discovered in several archaeological sites as funerary equipment.
Pottery processing was one of the ancient jobs, born from the need to store foodstuffs, as oil, wine, olives, water and to contain food to eat.
As habits changed, craftsmen have been refined their techniques, handling the details and the decorations, so nowadays they have developed an exclusive style.
The main Apulian ceramics production centre is certainly Grottaglie, in province of Taranto, where beautiful manifactures of Apulian handicraft are realized in charming shops of the “Ceramics District“. You will find table services in a wide range of uses and shapes, accessories, design objects and typical souvenirs made in Puglia.
Closely connected to the clay soil, Grottaglie was able to make the best of its territory, becoming the main economic source and the quality is guaranteed with a DOC label.
The pumo is the symbol of the artisan Puglia, which is rich in significance and tradition of the past.
It was used, infact, to embellish balcony railings of the noble palaces, emblematic of richness and good-luck charm against the misfortune.
Today the pumo has become one of the most friendly and loving gifts can be donated to wish wealth and abundance. It is said that the more leaves embrace the pumo, the more wellness and prosperity you can show or wish to donate.
In effect, the pumo is the blossom of a flower or a fruit which symbolizes the regeneration and fertility, and the name comes from the latin word “pomum” that is to say “fruit” and it is linked to the worship of the roman goddess Pomona, ancient deity of fruits.
The handmade ceramics are the expression of the art and the tradition of a wonderful region.
For those who want to bring home a bit of Puglia…
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 